Mounting for ice maker cutting grid



Jan 12 1965 D. F. swANsoN MOUNTING FOR ICE MAKER CUTTING GRID Filed Jan.6. 1964 INVENTOR United States Patent' 0 3,164,972 y MUNTING FOR ECEMAKER CUTTHJG GRED Donald F. Swanson, St. Paul, Minn., assigner toWhirlpool Corporation, a corporation ot Delaware Filed dan. 6, 1964,Ser. No. 335,854 Claims. (Cl. 62-32tl) This invention relates torefrigeration apparatus and in particular to i maker apparatus.

In one well known form of ice maker apparatus, a slab of ice is formedon an evaporator plate as a result of flowing water over the plate whilethe plate is suitably refrigerated. The slab forming plate isconventionally slightly inclined permitting the formed slab to slidedownwardly therefrom when suitably freed of the plate as by slightlyheating the surface engaging the plate. The released slab is directed tofall onto a slab cutting means which functions tov cut the slab into aplurality of discrete portions or cubes. More specifically, the slabcutting means comprises a grid of wires which may be suitablyelectrically heated so as to cut into the slab resting thereon bymelting the slab along intersection lines.

One problem which. has arisen in the use of such apparatus is that attimes a relativelyrnoisy delivery of the slab onto the cutting meansoccurs. More specifically, the relatively heavy slab in falling onto thecutting means strikes the cutting means sharply to produce what is, incertain instances, an objectionable sound. Further, the relatively largequantity of kinetic energy in the falling slab produces substantialshock forces in the cutting means, which may result in damagethereto.Still further, the sharp striking of the slab against the cutting meanshas in certain instances caused a breaking of the slab, therebyresulting in improperly formed cubes.

The present invention comprehends an improved arrangement of such an icemaker apparatus eliminating the above discussed disadvantages of thepresently known apparatus. rihus, a principal feature of the presentinvention is the provision of anew and improved `slab-type ice maker.

Another feature of the invention is the provision in such a slab-typeicemaker of new and vimproved means for effectively minimizing noisedeveloped by the falling of the ice slab onto the cutting means.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such an ice makerhaving new and improved means for effectively preventing breakage of theslab as it is delivered onto the cutting means.`

Still another feature of the invention is the provision Y of such an icemaker having new and improved means for preventing damage to the cuttingmeans as a result of the falling of the slab thereonto. Y v

i A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of such an icemaker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice and causing the formedslab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus for dividing the slabinto discrete portions comprising slab cutting means, and means movablysupporting the cutting means below the preselected space to receive theslab falling thereto'and including means for resiliently absorbing thekinetic energy of the falling slab. p

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of a portion of a slab ice maker providedwith slab cutting structure embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary broken vertical section takensubstantially along the line 2 2 of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

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In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in thedrawing, a slab cutting apparatus generally designated i0 isrshown tocomprise a portion of a slab` ice maker generally designated 11including an evaporator plate 12 and a delivery'tube 13 for deliveringwater onto the plate l2 to form a slab S of ice on the upper surface ofthe plate. The plate is inclined downwardly slightly and the non-frozenwater after flowing thereover is collected in a trough 14 at the lowerend. 'Ihe water is conducted from the trough through a conduit 15 to asump le wherein a pump 17 is provided for returning the water to thedelivery device 13 through a conduit 13. Refrigerant is delivered to theevaporator 12 through a suitable conduit 19 which is periodically causedto conduct heated fluid to the evaporator for freeing the ice slab Sfrom the evaporator and allowing it to slide dow-nwardly and falltherefrom (as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE l) to the space 2Q, atthe bottom of which is mounted the slab cutting means I0. Subjacent theslab cutting means is a collecting bin 2l for receiving the cut cubes.

The slab cutting means lll includes a frame 22 defining a rectangularcentral opening across which is extended a plurality of cutting wires 29defining a grid. The wires are arranged to be suitably electricallyheated so as to effectively cut through the slab S resting thereon andform the slab into a plurality of discrete portions comprising ice cubesVC which are then collected in the bin 2l. As indicated briefly above,the cutting means lil is disposed at the bottom of the space 2t) towhich the slab S falls. To this end, the frame 22 is carried by asupporting means including a pair of rear supporting means generallydesignated 23 and a pair of forward supporting means generallydesignated 24. The supporting means 23 and 24 are suitably mounted onthe walls of the apparatus such as side wall 25, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The support means 23 and 24 support the cutting means 10 to permit amovement thereof in the general direction of the falling slab S onto thecutting means. More speciiically, rear support means 23 comprises a clip26 secured, such as to the wall 25, by spot welds 27, and a connectingrod 4S. Clip 26 includes a lower Uashaped portion 28. Connecting rod isprovided with a lower turned end 3d extending pivotally through the fram22, and an upper turned end 3i pivotally carried on the U- shapedportion 28 of clip 26. Thus, rear support means 23 is arranged for freepivotal movement of the rear portion of the slab cutting means It) aboutthe axis of the turned portion 31 of the connecting rod 45.

The forward support means 24 effectively defines a snubber and includesa clip 32 iixedly secured to the ice maker cabinet structure, such as towall 25, by suitable means such as welds 33. As best seen in FIGURE 3,the clip 32 comprises a U-shaped channel member having a down-turned leg3d spaced outwardly from the inturned leg 35 which is secured to thewall 25. The forward support means 24 further includes a resilient blockmember 36 having an upper portion 37 secured to theY leg 34 by suitablemeans, such as screws 38, and a clamp plate 39,. The block 3e furtherdefines a central opening 40 and a lower portion dll which is secured tothe frame 22 by suitable means, such as screws 42, and a cooperatingclamp plate d3. Illustratively, the block 36 may comprise a 5/16 inch by21/2 inch by 3% inchblock of rubber provided with a l inch diameter hole4i?. As `shown in FIGURE 2, the forward supports 24 dispose the forwardend of the frame 22 slightly below the rearward end so that the cuttingmeans is inclined downwardly in the forward direction. The forward endof the' frame 22 is defined by an upstanding wall portion 44 acting tolimit the forward movement of the slab S as it falls onto the grid ofwires 29.

Patented Jam-'12, 1965 The above described pivotal mounting of the rearportion of the cutting means and the resilient yieldable mounting of theforward portion thereof provides an improved mounting of the cuttingmeans eleminating the serious disadvantages of the known slab cuttingstructures, as discussed briey above. More specically, support means 23and 24 carry the slab cutting means for yieldable movement with the slabas the slab falls onto the cutting means, the movement of the cuttingmeans being generally in the direction of the movement of the fallingslab. Thus, the moving slab is decelerated without the shock inherent inthe known structures. Further, the supporting means herein resilientlyabsorbs the kinetic energy of the falling slab and automaticallyconverts it into potential energy for rest-oring the slab cutting meansto the normal position at the bottom of the space 20. In this respect,the rear support portion 23 utilizes the upward swinging of the rearportion of the frame caused by the movement imparted to the cuttingmeans by the falling slab permitting the rear portion to returnautomatically to the normal position shown in FIGURE 2 as a result ofgravity acting thereon when the cutting means moves to its forward mostposition. The forward support means 24 resilently absorbs the kineticenergy and converts it into potential energy which then acts rearwardlyto urge the cutting means back to the position of FIGURE 2.

As the support means 23 and 24 yieldably carry the cutting means, thenoise of the slab striking the cutting means is effectively minimizedand effectively precluded from passing through the support to thecabinet structure of the ice maker. Further, the yieldable support ofthe cutting means effectively nnimizes damage to the cutting means bythe force of the falling slab and similarly effectively precludesbreaking of the slab as a result of the falling thereof onto the cuttingmeans. Thus, not only is the life of the apparatus substantiallylengthened, but the ice cube product produced by the cutting means iselfectively assured a uniform cube-shaped characteristic.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means; and

means movably supporting the cutting means below said preselected spaceto receive the slab falling there to and including means for resilientlyabsorbing the kinetic energy of the falling slab.

2. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means; and

means movably supporting the cutting means below said preselected spaceto receive the slab falling thereto i and including snubber means forelfectively minimizing the sound of the slab striking the cutting means.

3. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means; and

means swingably supporting the cutting means below said preselectedspace to receive the slab falling thereto and including means forresiliently absorbing the kinetic energy of the falling slab.

4. The ice maker apparatus of claim 3 wherein said supporting means'includes means for freely swingably carrying one portion of the cuttingmeans and said absorbing means comprises means for resistingly swingablycarrying another portion of the cutting means.

5. The ice maker apparatus of claim 3 wherein said absorbing meanscomprises a snubber resistingly swingably supporting one portion of thecutting means.

6. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means; and

means movably supporting the cutting means at said preselected space toreceive the slab falling thereto and including a block of resilientmaterial supporting one portion of the cutting means for resilientlyabsorbing the kinetic energy of the falling slab.

7. The ice maker apparatus of claim 6 wherein said block is providedwith a through hole in a mid-portion thereof.

8. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means; and

means movably supporting the cutting means below said preselected spaceto receive the slab falling thereto and move with the slab a substantialdistance in the general direction of the movement of the falling slab.

9. In an ice maker having apparatus for forming a slab of ice andcausing the formed slab to fall to a preselected space, apparatus fordividing the slab into discrete portions comprising:

slab cutting means;

means movably supporting the cutting means below said preselected spaceto receive the slab falling thereto and move with the slab a substantialdistance in the general direction of the movement of the falling slab;and

means for returning the cutting means to the disposition below saidspace subsequent to said movement with the slab.

10. The ice maker apparatus of claim 9 wherein said returning meansincludes means for converting the kinetic energy of the slab into apotential energy for use in producing the returning force.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,125,216 Turney Jan. 19, 1915 2,078,445 Geyer Apr. 27, 1937 3,019,612Jaeger Feb. 6, 1962

1. IN AN ICE MARKER HAVING APPARATUS FOR FORMING A SLAB OF ICE ANDCAUSING THE FORMED SLAB TO FALL TO A PRESELECTED SPACE, APPARATUS FORDIVIDING THE SLAB INTO DISCRETE PORTIONS COMPRISING: SLAB CUTTING MEANS;AND MEANS MOVABLY SUPPORTING THE CUTTING MEANS BELOW SAID PRESELECTEDSPACE TO RECEIVE THE SAID FALLING THERETO AND INCLUDING MEANS FORRESILIENTLY ABORBING THE KINETIC ENERGY OF THE FALLING SLAB.